Premiere dates

U.S. air date

International premieres

"Shadow Knows" is the thirty-fourth episode of the anime series, Sonic X, as well as the second episode of the Shadow Saga. It first aired on 23 November 2003 and 6 November 2004 in Japan and the United States respectively.

English version

Plot

The episode opens with a helicopter flying in saying the suspect is secured. The suspect is Sonic and the GUN officer says that he caused trouble at Prison Island. Sonic, not wanting to be captured, breaks free from the helicopter and jumps off the plane with a spare piece of metal, landing in a skate board dome and sliding free. Throughout the main outskirts of Station Square, GUN are tracking Sonic and send some of their robots after him. Sonic runs through the streets as the robots destroy parts of the city. Sonic hides down into the sewer wondering what they think he has been done. At school Chris is asked if he's seen Sonic up close and Chris explains a bit vaguely about Sonic as the two suddenly split up.

Back in the limo the president is informed that the new operative is settled in. He's also informed that no one was harmed from the flood in Station Square. He's informed that Sonic has escaped and Sam explains that Sonic is innocent but the aid says that the government should let go of Sonic and Sam suddenly stops the car, much to Christina's dismay. Sam replies that he's just doing his job.

At a museum that night, a dark hedgehog (Shadow) is spotted breaking a glass case containing an emerald. As the robots try to stop him he unleashes a blast of energy and destroys them all running off at high speed. The president is informed at the capital saying that Sonic has been seen stealing a Chaos Emerald. He orders that Sonic be taken captive and orders them to go underground to get him. Back in the apartment Chris and the others are watching TV while the news informs about the theft and shows images of Shadow. Chris wonders if it's Sonic but Cream says Sonic wouldn't do such a thing. Chuck thinks otherwise, but everyone gangs up on him in disagreement. The news says that authorities have said Sonic has destroyed tanks and fled. Chris is worried, but Ella says there are explanations.

Back underground the robots flood the sewers and all other entryways. In the sewer some homeless people including Jerome are discussing about the theft and Jerome jumps to the fact that Sonic was behind the robbery when he suddenly runs by with robots chasing him. In Prison Island, Scarlet and Mister Stewart are heading onto the island. Stewart uses his connections to get into the island and Scarlet wonders who Stewart really is, but he doesn't say anything apart from a fellow newsholder. Inside the two interview the warden and he shows some camera footage of Shadow and Eggman attacking the robots as they think the new hedgehog isn't the Project Shadow file.

In the city, Sonic escapes the sewer with robots pouring after him. Suddenly one of the larger robots appears and Sonic holds up a Ring dodging the shots that are being fired at him. He goes into a spin attack but misses the robot and runs to escape as the robot fires missiles at him. Sonic manages to make the missiles hit and destroy the robot. Just then there is a flash of light; Shadow appears and greets him. Sonic figures that it is Shadow that has framed him and as he goes into attack, his doppelgänger disappears. Stuart meanwhile figures that the hedgehog he's looking at isn't Sonic. Up on the roof the mysterious hedgehog says he is not the imposter but the real thing. Sonic goes up onto the building but the hedgehog goes to another building and Sonic challenges him to a race.

The two race while Chuck gets a call from his son that Sonic is battling a robot. Chris, Chuck and Mr.Tanaka drove to follow him. Sonic and Shadow are busy racing while Sonic tries to pull the lead and the two keep up their speed. Chris and the others catch up with Sonic as his doppelgänger hits him from behind. Eggman is busy watching the footage and says that he was overwhelmed when he encountered the hedgehog, Shadow. Eggman has a flashback to the event when Shadow first woke up and he pledges his loyalty to Eggman. Just then the robot appears and Shadow destroys the robot. Back in the present Eggman hopes that Shadow will defeat Sonic. Shadow holds up a Chaos Emerald and Sonic demands he hand over the emerald. Shadow disappears before Sonic can get to him. Shadow uses Chaos Control and Sonic is wondering how Shadow can do it with one emerald. The two start fighting but Sonic is easily defeated when Shadow knocks him down, besting him.

Shadow states he isn't using his full power and mentions that Gerald Robotnik gave him the power of Chaos Control. Just then he hears sirens, Shadow disappears as the cops and GUN arrive. Sonic is ordered to put his hands up and Sonic protests saying he didn't do anything. Chris pleads with Sonic to turn himself in. When Sonic hears about Prison Island, he turns himself in. Sonic thinks he'll get out without tricks and he'll meet with Shadow again.

Sonic is taken away while Shadow says he will not let anyone stand in his way. At the base, Eggman throws a party and congratulates Shadow on doing his job. Shadow says Eggman needs more emeralds in order to use the Eclipse Cannon, being able to conquer the world with it. Bokkun appears with a message with Rouge on it saying they need to talk together. Bocoe and Decoe advised not to trust her but Eggman orders them to go her only to have the television bomb exploding on him. Rouge appears and shows Eggman the Chaos Emerald. Rouge says she'll hand it over if Eggman lets her work with them. Eggman wonders what Rouge wants while Shadow has flashbacks about Maria. Rouge asks his name and he turns saying "Shadow the Hedgehog".

Back on the land, Chris and Tanaka head out in disguises on a boat and Chuck says they need to be careful while Tails and Amy fly overhead in the X Tornado with Amy saying they need to get there in a hurry. Tails says she's bossy and when Amy asks him what he's said, Tails stammered and gets a little scared. On the island Sonic sits in an underwater cell with odd writing on the wall as he wonders about Shadow.

When Sonic escapes from the GUN helicopter to Central City the GUN Military Truck did not appear.

In the beginning of Sonic Adventure 2 (in Hero Story) Sonic has been captured in the Military Helicopter, but in this episode he was been captured by GUN soldiers in the different helicopter instead.

Interestingly, one of Rouge's lines in this episode ("Pleasure before business!") is actually one of her unused lines in Sonic Adventure 2 that she was originally intended to say in the same scenario.

If one were to read the writing on the wall of Sonic's cell, the numbers 00:27:53 (the timer for the ARK to crash into Earth) and other scientific text can be seen, suggesting that Professor Gerald Robotnik was also locked in the same cell a long time ago, writing his plans for his revenge on the humans.

In the dub, Mr. Stewart does not recognize the major difference between Sonic and Shadow's appearance and just realizes that there is something "strange" and "different" about Shadow. In the Japanese version, he realizes that they are not the same by noticing the difference in fur color. He then questions if the whole incident is Eggman's doing.

In the scene where Sonic first meets Shadow, the two race into a part of the city. This scene was based off of the junction of Broadway and 7th Avenue in New York City.